Facing the past, taking comfort in the present
by kagome04
Summary: Dick receives a disturbing letter that greatly upsets him. Bruce is there to comfort him. Another Bruce and Dick bonding fic. Rating is for some language.


Dick hadn't answered his phone or any of his pages or texts all day. If it was anyone else Bruce wouldn't have been worried but this was Dick, the most social person he knew. For him not to respond to any of Bruce's attempts to contact him was highly unusual. Bruce was sure something was horribly wrong and decided the only way to figure out what was going on was to go and see Dick at his apartment. That is why at present he was standing outside Dick's front door trying to crack the lock. The fact that no one answered the door when he knocked had alarmed him further. He tried to prepare himself for what he might find when he opened the door but nothing could have prepared him for this.

Dick was sitting on the couch arms wrapped around him sobbing uncontrollably. When he realized Bruce was there he stopped crying for a moment locked eyes with him and then continued to sob. He was clearly shocked to see him Bruce could tell. It broke his heart to see his Richard crying like this. What could have upset him so? Bruce sat down on the couch next to him and did a quick once over to check for any physical ailments. There didn't appear to be any.

"What's wrong Dick?" but Dick couldn't stop crying instead he just pointed to a letter on the table. Bruce picked up the letter began to read it. The more he read the more shocked and horrified he became. The letter was from Mya Haley one of the circus people Dick had grown up with. It basically stated that the circus no longer wished to have anything to do with Dick and asked him never to contact or see them again. It then blasted Dick repeatedly for not keeping in touch with the circus over the years calling him a "fake" and a "phony". One of the lines from the letter really enraged Bruce:

"_The most horrible and wretched thing is that you are trying to pretend to be something you are not. You are a no good gypsy acrobat trying to be a spoiled rich kid and that is despicable! You should respect you're roots and not try to hide from them. Your parents would be ashamed as we all are." _

No wonder Dick was crying. How dare they say that about Dick? He was nothing like that. There was nothing fake or phony about him at all and he had never tried to hide from his roots he had always embraced them. This person clearly didn't know anything about Dick she only thought she did. Bruce put the letter down on the table sat on the couch and embraced Dick and held him as he cried muttering soothing words to him the whole time. When Dick had stopped crying after several minutes he explained to Bruce how he had gone down to see the circus the other day to say hi and see everybody and then received the letter this morning. It was at this point he began to sob again. Bruce patted his knee and told him everything was going to be alright. Through his tears Bruce managed to hear the words:

"They are right, they are right about me."

"No Dick, no they are not they don't know anything about you"

"Yes they do, they do because they are right, and I am pretending to be something I'm not. I don't' fit in here in this world, your world. I never have. I have been trying so hard to fit in all these years but I never have. They are right I am a phony and a loser and my parents would be ashamed of me."

Hearing Dick talk that way about himself broke Bruce's heart. How could Dick think that way about himself?

"Dick you are not a loser and I never want to hear those words come out of your mouth again. Your parents would be so proud of you Dick you save people's lives every day. You have saved thousands of people over the years. Believe me that is something to be proud of. "

"How do you know?" Dick asked he had stopped crying but he wouldn't look at Bruce.

"What?"

"How do you know my parents would be proud of me?"

"Any parent would be proud of you. I know I am."

Dick was shocked. Bruce had never openly admitted that he was proud of him before.

"You-you really think so?"

"Yes I do"

"I just feel so awful. I never knew the circus felt that way about me. I mean I know I haven't exactly kept in touch over the years but I still thought that they cared about me. I still thought that they at least liked me!"

"How do you know it is the whole circus? Maybe it is just this Mya person."

"The way she wrote that letter it sounded like the whole circus felt that way."

"Maybe that's how she wanted it to sound. I wouldn't take it for granted that the whole circus feels that way."

"You think?"

"Yes I do"

"Why would she do that?"

"She must be upset with you about something but doesn't have the courage to take you on herself."

"What could she possibly be upset with me for?"

"I don't know"

They sat in silence for a minute but Bruce could tell that Dick was thinking about something that he didn't want to say.

"I still feel like crap. I mean I've always kind of felt this way ever since I came to live with you. However I've just kind of pushed it down inside of me and ignored it. However, now that I know that someone else feels that way…I don't know it feels more real."

Bruce was shocked he never knew Dick felt this way. He had to do something to correct this.

"Dick you are completely wrong. You do fit in. More than you know. These people are assholes who don't know anything about you. They just pretend that they do." But Bruce could tell that Dick didn't really believe him.

"Yeah I guess so it just really hurts you know? To know that people feel this way about me."

"I know I know but you have to remember that you are perfect just the way you are and that there is nothing wrong with you. You are not a loser in any way shape or form."

"Thank you Bruce. I'm glad at least someone feels that way."

Bruce smiled and put his arm around him. "You will always be my little Dickie you know that?"

Dick smiled. "Yes I know."

"So how about you come over the house and spend the night and we all just hang out? I think it would be good for you to be around people instead of sulking here in this apartment."

"Thanks Bruce but I don't really feel like being around people right now."

"Alright then how about I stay and we just hang out and get some Chinese or something?"

"That would be good I guess."

"Come on Dick cheer up"

"I'm sorry I'm just really upset"

"I know. That's why I am trying to do something to cheer you up."

"I appreciate that. Chinese would be good."

"Ok then, Chinese it is"

They sat and talked until the wee hours of the morning and then Bruce left to go home because he had an early meeting and had to get changed.

"I will call you later on ok?"

"Ok" Dick said he still felt like crap about the whole situation but somehow when Bruce was around he always felt better."

Later on in the day he got a call from Alfred telling him to turn on the radio.

"And now we have a dedication from B. to Dick. Hope this helps you feel better Dick!" The radio station personality said. The song was "Perfect" by Pink. The lyrics really actually did help Dick feel better and they really helped emphasis what Bruce had said to him yesterday he couldn't get bogged down by this stupid letter. Who was this Mya to tell him how to be anyway? Bruce was right he was perfect the way he was and wasn't going to let anyone else tell him different. He would have to go over and personally thank Bruce for all that he did maybe give a big hug. That would really shock the big guy. The very thought of it made Dick laugh. Yes he was sure now everything would be ok.


End file.
